Threats of the law
by chloemcg
Summary: Madame Geisha comes to take Henriette away from Rioichi to train her in the ways of a Geisha even though Rioichi is persistent over letting his daughter succumb to a horrid fate. Will Rioichi be able to protect his daughter from the horrors of becoming a Geisha?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rioichi nor Henriette Cooper or the Geisha. They belong to Sucker punch/Sanzaru games. I do own the plot.**

**Threats of the law.**

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It was a nice beautiful springs day in Japan, the edo era of the great dynasty. The warm sun beamed down upon the fresh, moist village as shadows stretched upon the ground where children played with each other. Inside the currently should-be-infamous Sushi restraunt, though, was where our story begins.

Rioichi was steadily chopping up some parsley to spruce up one of the many Sushi dishes he was making with the trusty assistance of his young daughter, Henriette 'One-eyed' Cooper. Henriette had received a nasty injury to her eye days after she was born when Rioichi's home was raided by the Shogun's army so they could arrest him for a crime he unintentionally committed awhile back but landed in the talons of a long-time enemy, Clockwerk. He and his daughter were hiding in the village so they could live in peace even if Rioichi knew that the Shogun's army would never give up looking for him.

Henriette's bare feet waded against the wooden flooring as she carried a huge stack full of delicate plates as she tried to assist her father with running his business. She found the plates heavy in her small arms as she tried to find her balance despite the fact that she couldn't see as the plates blocked most of what little vision she had left. Luckily, Rioichi saw this and ran to his daughter and fretfully told her "No, no, no, no! You cannot carry all those plates, Henriette."

Henriette apoligised while looking up at her father sadly "Sorry, papa. I was just trying to help you and be a good daughter to you."

Rioichi couldn't help but smile down at his little girl. She was always trying to find ways to make life easier for him even though she liked to cause trouble for everyone else in a way he knew she should be punished for but every time he tried to scold her, he found that he couldnt do it. She was a Cooper, the next to take over the mantle that meant that she was to become an honourable thief someday in the future even if the law states that she should become a Geisha when the time came which he hoped Wouldn't be soon.

Rioichi knew what Gieshas done secretly inside that house on the other side of the village and didn't want his daughter to share the same fate but he also didn't want to force her into anything she didn't want to do. Henriette was her own person and decided her own fate and she wanted to be a pirate when she got older and if that was what she desired, he was to support her with all his heart. What the master ninja didn't know, however, was that the sweet life he knew just might be snatched from him in a heart beat.

"Henriette, you do not need to help me to be a good daughter..." He crooned softly as he affectionately nuzzled her, making her giggle as she hugged him back. The two shared a nice moment until the sound of a till bell broke them up and Rioichi sighed irritably. he hated it when his time with his daughter was inturrupted but he told Henriette "Go upstairs, my young Shiroibara. I shall be with you shortly." He ran to the table but only to find a female rhino whom wore white face paint with crimson coloured lips, she wore a teal kimono and she had her ebony hair tied up into a neat bun that glimmered in the slight sunlight that shone through the windows.

Rioichi's calm, light hearted eyes met the tall rhinos almost stone eyes as he bowed respectively at her "Ah, Madame Geisha. What can I do for you?" He asked even if he silently dreaded her answer. He just hoped she was here for some Sushi and not what he thought she was after.

"I have a new sushi flavoring that should richen your taste buds if you would like to try it." Rioichi held out a small paper menu to her which she grabbed before crumpling it inside her large fists and dropping it to the floor with her mouth turned into a frown and her eyes like the hardest of stone as they almost narrowed into slits angrily at the restraunt owner.

"Well, Rioichi-San, I am not interested since I am not here for your disgusting seafood platters. I am here for the girl."

Rioichi's heart dropped like a stone into his stomach as his blood run cold and his eyes stared distantly forwards as time stopped all around him. As soon as those emotionless words left the rhino's lips, everyone eating in the restaurant ceased eating their meals and stared silently at this to watch Rioichi's reaction. Everyone in the village knew that Rioichi had a nasty temper when it came to his daughters well being and were wanting to see if the restaurateur will fight or flight.

Eventually time caught up with Rioichi and he found himself glaring up at the rhino as he stood in a defensive stance, ready to fight if he must "Madame Geisha, will all due respect I have no intent on forcing my daughter to do what she does not want to do." Rioichi's voice was chilled and everyone could note the fact that he was clearly trying not to lunge at her and whack her with his cane until she had a severe nosebleed.

"I am sorry, Raccoon, you know the law and besides you cannot keep both yourself and her financially safe." Rioichi could tell by the smile on Madame Geisha's face that she wasn't sorry in the least. Rioichi wasn't doing so well this year somehow and he was barely keeping both himself and Henriette well fed and not even clothes was an option anymore.

It could be the fact that Madame Geisha was blackmailing him and starting rumours.

The two had a bitter rivalry towards each other and Madame Geisha hated that Rioichi stole most of the costumers away from her.

She done whatever she could to melt the red panda raccoon's business and if it meant taking his grubby daughter away from his custody, then so be it.

Every customer in the restaurant whom sat at their tables all gasped and muttered silent chatters across to each other, clearly interested to know if a fight was going to start. They watched eagerly for Rioichi to lunge at her but instead he glared daggers at the white rhino and was fighting back as not to lose his control even if it was dissipating fast each moment Madame Giesha stood at the till.

The ninja master pulled up his hood over his head as he fought the overwhelming instinct not to pull his cane out from behind his back "Get out of my restaurant." He demanded with poisonous disdain dripping from his voice like the purest of venom that dripped from the ivory tips of a snakes fangs.

Madame Geisha could see that if she didn't leave then it would start snapping something inside the Sushi chef master's mind. Even though she wanted to snap that part of him; she wouldn't risk starting rumours about her being a children kidnapper even if thats what she was. She would do anything to uphold the law even if it meant prying the little raccoon girl out of Rioichi's from his cold, dead hands.

Madame Geisha spat a menacing grin at the owner of this establishment as it was clear that the raccoon was seething on the inside as he stood as still as a statue even if he blinked his glaring eyes at her. She gave a snooty whip of her hips and turned to walk out the door, leaving Rioichi's russet fur to jingle as she made each unintentional enormous step towards the door.

So she stomped out of the Sushi house with a devious grin curled on her lips as she began to depart, clearly satisfied with giving Rioichi a startling day. Every step she made shook the shop slightly as her weight was whopping and nobody was afraid to let her know it. Actually, according to rumor, if Madame Geisha jumped then it would shake the entire continent!

"Just beware, Raccoon. This battle has only just begun..." On that account, Madame Geisha smugly left the scene with an evil cackle that made everyone shudder in a way that was visible to the raccoon even if he didn't bother to pay attention.

Rioichi continued standing in an offensive position behind the counter and Henriette rushed to her father and jumped into his arms, clearly afraid as she heard every word that was said. Rioichi ran a hand up and down his five year old daughter's back to soothe her as he told her reassuringly "Worry not, Henriette. I will never allow her to take you away from me."

Henriette peeled herself away from her father with eyes full of fear. Was Madame Geisha really going to take her away? Her little heart hammered inside her chest as Rioichi held her close against his own chest. Henriette was confused and worried about the matter as she knew that the rhino would not give up even if it did break the girl's heart to leave her father. She refused to go with the devil woman and followed her father's gaze as Rioichi cast a hard glare at the doors where Madame Geisha had departed and he muttered one thing as he refused to give up his daughter so easily "Sore wa, akuma no rainodesu..."

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**A/N: Ooooh! Rioichi is in danger of losing his daughter: Henriette! Encase your wondering what Rioichi said in the last thing, I'll tell you. He said: It's on, Devil rhino, in Japanese. I used Google translate to help me with that. Anyways, I had the idea of a bitter rivalry between Rioichi and Madame Geisha when I noticed that both of them are basically restaurateurs but are very separate to each other. I also had the idea of this from 'Tales of the Cooper clan- Rioichi' which I adore as its a unqiue fanfic and its about Rioichi and if anything is Rioichi Cooper related, its labeled as 'awesome'.**

**That and I also think its the reason behind Madame Geisha assisting El Jefe arresting him. It would seem logical, wouldn't it?**

**I will make this a very short story but unlike my One-shots, this will actually be an actual fanfic instead of a one chaptered story. If you have any reccomendations for me then please let me know and what I mean by that is, feel free to give me suggestions and other stuff if you please. I would be highly happy. Especially by reviews.**

**Theres a chance I may update this today but I don't know...Please review!**

**-Chloemcg**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rioichi nor Henriette Cooper or the Geisha. They belong to Sucker punch/Sanzaru games. I do own the plot.**

**Threats of the law.**

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Rioichi was tucking Henriette into bed as he pulled the covers up around her small body while he gazed over her miniature form while sitting beside her on the futon. The small raccoon girl looked up at her father worriedly as that confidence he usually had in his eyes were gone. Her lips pulled into a worried frown as she tilted her head to one side "Are you alright, Papa? You have been fretting over me the entire day."

It was true. Actually, Rioichi insisted that he slept on the floor beside her and Henriette knew for a fact that her father never worried about her this much even if he was usually calm. The adult red panda raccoon forced his brows into a surprised look as he put on a fake toothy smile. He knew he was being too over protective but he couldn't relax knowing that the sweet daughter he cherished with his entire being could be taken away instantly within a second! Rioichi could not bare the thought of life alone as he already lived alone for a small portion of his life and being alone was a sad life. The raccoon adult sighed as he placed a warm hand upon Henriette's forehead, causing her spirits to seemingly lift a bit.

"I apologize for worrying you, my young Shiroibara. I just cannot rest my head knowing that bigoted rhinoceros could snatch you away from me at any moment." Rioichi admitted even if the tips of his ears lowered apologetically and his eyes were mirroring the emotion his ears gave off. The ninja master sighed as Henriette reached up towards him, clearly wanting to be picked up by her father. He olbidged and Henriette smiled lovingly at her father and stroked the top of his ear to assure him "Worry not, Papa. If I do get captured in the night, I would awake and call for you and besides I know that you would just find me anyway if I do get captured."

"Yes, but if I do take you back then I would be breaking the law and would probably be suspected of my thieveries." Rioichi pointed out simply "I do not want you to go with Madame Geisha but I do not wish to sour our legacy either."

Henriette looked down in deep thought. It was clear that her father was stressed by this and his mind was checking each possibility to prevent this as if it was frantic to find a loop hole for this problem. He seemed to grow steadily more panicky as he couldn't find a plan out of this even if he were to move out of the village, he couldn't simply move out of Japan with the fewer gold yen he had earned throughout the years.

"Hmmm...This is a problem, Papa. I do not wish to go either yet I also hate you going through this stress for me." She sighed as her ears fell sadly. Rioichi spared her a kindly smile as he leaned forward and gave her a small nose rub as he held Henriette in his thin yet sturdy arms "You are worth it, Henriette. Never forget that."

Henriette giggled as soon as her little black nose came into contact with Rioichi's and she closed her tired eyes as she felt her small body nestle inside her father's arms and she eventually drifted off into a blissful sleep as a warm smile formed upon her furry lips and her light grey fur gleamed against the warm candlelight that flickered as it sat upon the bedside table.

Rioichi allowed a heavy sigh to escape his throat as he too let his eyelids droop a little from the bitterly sweet atmosphere. Somehow he felt like something could break this happy moment at anytime and it was no secret to whom that person would be as Madame Geisha's mean spirited words from earlier that morning echoed inside his mind in a discordant whisper.

"_Just beware, Raccoon. This battle has only just begun..."_

The ninja master looked down at his daughter with wistful eyes. He always feared the time whence Henriette would be in an unfair position where she might be snatched viciously from her home and the thought of his daughter being unfairly abandoned like he had been would not be an option in his eyes as he held the little raccoon female inside the warm embrace his arms provided even if he nestled in the warmth the nearby candlelight provided.

Rioichi knew that he could not promise himself nor Henriette that everything would be alright. That was true. But he was going to fight harder than he ever had before if it would prevent Henriette from becoming a Geisha.

Eventually, he fell asleep with his russet tail curled up around his sleek, slender body as he laid down upon the bed with the candle's flame flickering out as if it could sense the two sleeping souls near it as it blew out to leave a small raise of smoke from the tip of the wax candle and it honestly left a gentle atmosphere.

The next morning was very quiet as Rioichi carried a small tray towards a two seated table. The tray the raccoon carried carried two plates of piping hot Sushi and a tea pot that was piping hot from the spout as the sweet scent of its organic jasmine fragrance graced the shop to create a delightful morning smell even if the nice morning atmosphere was soiled by the unpleasant silence.

Henriette placed two china teacups neatly upon the table's round yet flat surface, feeling a bit sad as her big eyes were full of worry for what her future was to be. Even if the young 5 year old was clever for her age, she had no idea what was going to happen if Madame Geisha had gotten her squeaky clean hands on her. She could sense that it wouldn't be good.

Sitting herself down at the table, Henriette stared at the empty teacup in front of her absent mindedly as Rioichi gingerly placed the tray he held down and poured some of the tea he had created in his daughter's teacup before he sat down in his own chair opposite Henriette and poured himself some tea as well.

The two raccoons ate and drank their breakfast in an uncomfortable silence as they ignored the light sunlight beaming from the windows and reflecting off of the statue of Rioichi holding a pair of ivory chopsticks with a bamboo plant sitting by its side.

The only noise that could be heard in the room was the breathing and the occasional sigh from the pair of coons. Father and daughter simultaneously finished their meal and excused themselves from the table before they went to do their morning tasks but something was very different.

Henriette was walking through the route towards her bedroom and discovered that her father was shadowing her. Turning on her feet, Rioichi abruptly stopped cold in his tracks as he looked down at Henriette whom raised a sharp brow of annoyance, clearly fully aware that her father was still paranoid judging merely by his actions.

"Otosan, must you shadow me?" Henriette asked irritably but Rioichi didn't say anything but gave her a look of concern as a certain aura mixed with a unique blend of both distain of the terrible fate that should hopefully not befall them. Rioichi gave her a pleading look, clearly giving her a puppy dog look.

Henriette raised both her brows in surprise at what her father was doing. He was trying to get her to allow him to follow her every movement without her snapping. Henriette knew better that her father had oddly enough played the begging game better than she had and that was fairly odd considering that in the family it was usually the roles reversed.

The small female raccoon gave an irritated shake of the head as she rubbed at her temples with pudgy fingers and glared at her father with her bad eye cloudy with annoyance while her good eye was filled with heavy aggravation.

"Oh, fine..." She said in defeat "I shall allow you to follow me but just do not get all over protective, please?"

"I promise, Henriette." Rioichi smiled cheerfully as he had his daughter's consent to be her 24 hour body guard. He swore to guard her and not allow her out of his sight even if she did try and shake him off. But before he could hurt his daughter, he decided to take her out for a treat to get her used to the idea "Would it make you happier if I took you with me on the next heist?"

Henriette froze as she couldn't believe what she had just heard. She had to blink twice as she tried to comprehend this. Did Rioichi Cooper, the coolest yet most over-protective dad in all of Cooper history, just OFFER to take Henriette with him on a dangerous heist?! She pinched herself in the arm to make sure she wasn't dreaming as her teal eyes lit up excitedly.

"Are you joking?" Henriette asked, an almost excited layer making itself known in her high pitched adorable voice. Rioichi nodded and watched as his daughter danced around excitedly in place, clearly the happiest she had ever been in ages. Rioichi knew he had to take Henriette on her first heist someday and what better way than to start now?

He smiled happily as his little girl finished her cheerful little choreographic movements of rejoice before the russet furred ninja master turned on his feet and walked towards the entrance with a warm hand offered out towards her. Rioichi always felt his heart melt like butter in the microwave when he saw that smile on Henriette's face as the depressing atmosphere had been lifted as soon as he saw the happiness on the little coon's face.

His rusty brown eyes carefully trailed her every movement as Henriette skipped towards Rioichi and took his hand into hers as Rioichi suggested "Come, my young Shiroibara. Let us go to the market place and see what today brings us."

Henriette giggled excitedly and stretched her arms up into the air with her tail swishing happily behind her "Heheheh. Okay, Papa!"

As the two raccoons happily marched towards the large doors of the Sushi restraunt, they both knew that as long as they had each other that all would be fine. But little were they aware of the trouble that beheld them on the way that threatened their very relationship.

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**A/N: Oh no...What will happen next? It seems that the coolest Ninja master is getting a bit panicky about Henriette being alone but what else? What will threaten their very family!? Find out soon!**

**Anyways, what do you think of the fact that I made Henriette a responsible yet caring daughter? You'd be surprised of what she does to people she hates, though. Trust me.**

**Please review! **

**-Chloemcg**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rioichi nor Henriette Cooper or the Geisha. They belong to Sucker punch/Sanzaru games. I do own the plot.**

**Threats of the law.**

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Sunlight once again beamed against the pair of shoulders belonging to Rioichi and Henriette as they walked upon the cobblestone pathing of the village. They both felt fairly positive but to say that everything would be okay would be a lie.

A big, fat lie honestly.

Life had been quiet with a strong rocky edge to it that would tell both raccoons each morning that Madame Geisha would eventually separate them and this realisation smacked them both each and every time they opened their eyes for the first time that dawn.

The spring sunlight caught Rioichi's shiny russet coat in a gentle breeze as Henriette's little grey form walked closely alongside him and nuzzled affectionately against his thin leg as she clearly wanted to be hidden from those who walked through the town opposite the direction of which they walked and she clearly couldn't be one to simply ignore those penetrating glares sent down towards her.

Rioichi felt a glare scrunch his muzzle as his navy blue mask narrowed along with his protective eyes whilst his ears were attentively perked as whispers of the freak they called his daughter bred and multiplied like germs in the sunlight as he heard the hurtful names: 'One-eyed witch' or 'Gruesome daughter'.

Whenever someone hurt his daughter verbally, he felt like going against his code and quite literally whacking some sense into them. He never expected the entire village to talk that way about Henriette, however, as those whispers eventually urged Rioichi to pick up not only his daughter but he picked up also the fleet-footed pace he was walking as he tried to seem invisible to those around him.

As the ninja Master quickly paced his steps, he could feel Henriette shivering in his arms as if she was cold.

Needless to say, there was a gentle draft that mingled right along with the springtime sunlight but it was nothing to be the least fretful about. It was sort of understandable how Henriette could be cold as she was sort of fragile for now at least.

The wind was gentle against both ring-tails furry cheeks as Rioichi walked through the pathway with his bushy tail brushing through the air that surrounded both him and his daughter was in his arm, clinging tightly to the ivory sleeve like a koala.

Rioichi had decided to go to the market place as to take both of their minds off what could happen because of Madame Geisha but, unfortunately, it appeared that everyone still thought Henriette as a freak since every child was basically healthy. The children who suffered injury at birth was very rare for anyone regular and any disfigured child, especially a female child with deformities, were put down almost instantly hence making the young female raccoon an outcast.

Rioichi was not a stranger when it came to a harsh childhood: He was abandoned at a young age and therefore ended up being raised by a fishing expert/candle shop owner named Zuko King, a wise panda, since his father, Tai Cooper, wanted to kill him despite knowing full well that Rioichi was his son. Tai did also kill his own wife.

The red furred raccoon adult released a heavy sigh as he drowned out these memories. This happened years ago and now he had to look to the future for the sake of his daughter. Gossip bred and multiplied through the noisy market place as the crowd bustling passed were too wrapped up in their own lives to notice the pair of ring-tails.

Carefully, Rioichi weaved through the noisy crowd as he tried to block out the many sounds ringing inside his delicate ears and the fact that everyone was seemingly at war with the decisions he was making to protect his daughter. He flicked his ears back in an effort to try and gets those voices out of his head as he began to walk faster and faster.

But then Rioichi suddenly felt himself smack right into something rock solid, knocking him to the floor while Henriette tumbled from his protective embrace as she rolled on to her stomach. Rioichi, dizzy and disoriented from the bump, dug his fingers into the cobblestones beneath his paws so he could push himself off the ground and found himself staring into the menacing eyes of Madame Geisha with Admiral Rin Tsao, an egotistical rooster, by her side.

Somehow the rooster had gained a high status with the town's elder and became the law enforcer of the village, even if that meant having a vendetta against the red furred Japanese raccoon. The sunlight shone in his eyes as both their towering forms towered Rioichi, striking slight fear into his heart even though his face remained calm as he shown little of the fear he felt within.

Getting to his feet, Rioichi forced himself to bow his head before the Admiral who returned the bow even though you could sense a barrier of highly bitter hostility between the raccoon and the rooster.

"Rioichi-San." Rin began with stern bloodshot eyes that burned into the Sushi restraunteur's rusty brown ones "Madame Geisha has been telling me that you're refusing to allow us to relieve you of that burden of a daughter." The admiral spared a vicious glare to the little girl whom glared right back at him with a low growl escaping her throat.

Rioichi's glare hardened towards Madame Geisha and the Admiral. He should have saw this coming as he felt like the fuse of a stick of fireworks, just waiting to be ignited with a foolish match. The red panda raccoon dropped down to pick up Henriette, his gaze glued to the two fellow anthropomorphic creatures who both threatened to take the little raccoon away from him "She is _not _a burden on me at all, thank you for your concern." he said, his voice tittering over the edge of a low growl.

He helped steady the little 5 year old raccoon on her feet as he trained his focused eyes upon the pair of enemies. He despised Madame Geisha and would steal anything from here any day of the week if it meant at least he'd get a little closure so she could get her just deserts.

Feeling a cocktail of raging emotions that was overpowered by the familiar mix of annoyance and anger, the sushi Master forced a civil smile upon his muzzle as he tried to find a way to get out of the law and to avoid any drastic measures that could be made by the irritable rooster and to gladly get out of having to give up the one he treasured most.

He sighed in an effort to calm his raging thoughts and it worked a little at least "But yes, I do not wish to force my daughter do something she doesn't wish to do and experience the unpleasantries of being a Geisha."

Rioichi's voice behind this sounded quite pleasant despite the venom basically foaming from his mouth like rabies or what you get if you make a combination of painkillers and coke inside a shop. He found that any lady selling themselves for money and doing dirty, inappropriate things severely dishonourable and it was not a future he would wish for any child, let alone his own daughter.

It was clear that he wanted to punch the lights out of those two but knew he couldn't without facing dire consequences such as jail time or even execution. He placed both hands together as he rubbed the palms of his hands together in friction, making a gesture that shown he was trying to make an offer "Now, you two. I am sure we can make some sort of compromise without having to take drastic measures."

Admiral Tsao opened his beak to say something spiteful towards the offer but pompous Madame Geisha held a big hand out towards him, silencing him and the words got jumbled up in the rooster's strong throat. The rhino smiled a somewhat leering grin as she batted her pretty eye lashes, knowing that she could pounce right this second "Well...you can always move out of this village, out of Japan, and save yourself the trouble of me taking that one-eyed brat you call a daughter away from you."

Rioichi narrowed his eyes a little as he tensed up a bit at this loophole. He felt his heart race when she made him this one chance to get away with Henriette unscathed but it would mean leaving his home and his restraunt most likely being demolished.

He stared at the rhino with hardened eyes as he felt something weigh him down like a hammer coming down on top of him "You know full well that I cannot afford to leave this place long let alone leave the country, but my life is here and I wouldn't dare leave the many resting places of those I hold dear."

Madame Geisha's leering smile faded slightly at hearing Rioichi's answer. She thought she had the restraunteur practically wrapped around her little finger since this was an offer he shouldn't refuse! Didn't he care that he was going to have his taxes drained, sucking him dry of house and home?

The rhino simply growled deeply from the bottom of her throat as her face turned a deep shade of beet red. Clearly Rioichi couldn't support both his daughter and himself with a crumbling business so he had to sell her to the Geisha house otherwise pay the price.

She thought for sure that he would jump at the chance of saving himself all this trouble and drama but she would love making things hard for the young man anyway so told him with a voice like sand paper "Then you shall have 24 hours left with the ugly little freak and if you show signs of resisting then you'll face the gallows immediately."

"The gallows?" Rin repeated with a slight look of genuine shock and confusion but Madame Geisha gave him an aggressive huff through her thick nostrils to silence him, her face twisted with anger. The rooster looked down thoughtfully for a moment, fearing slightly for his own life before looking back at Rioichi who gave him an almost smug look.

Rioichi knew that Rin loved money above all instead of helping others but he knew that this was his chance to get back at the Ninja raccoon, jobs were tight and money was scarce so he had no choice if he wanted to keep his job and help his family along after all.

The rooster let out a sigh as he gave a nod to agree with Madame Geisha and informed, stamping the deal in place "Alright, Rioichi-San. If you refuse to cooperate with Madame Geisha and relinquish your daughter by tomorrows sundown then you shall face the sentence of execution."

Rioichi messaged his own neck, worrying about the axe that was probably to slice his head off if he didn't comply with the wishes of Madame Geisha. His frown was heartbreaking as his supposedly emotionless rusty brown eyes were clearly fighting back tears.

The ninja master hated to do this but he had to let Henriette go, even if it wounded him severely. He would rather die then allow his daughter to be confined to such a fate but if he died by protecting her, it would make her live in eternal guilt and he didn't want her to feel guilty over his death.

Rioichi hung his head shamefully as he uttered something that Admiral Tsao and Madame Geisha had to strain their ears so they could hear him. Slightly confused, Madame Geisha lifted one of her ears towards Rioichi "I am sorry, what was that?" She asked.

Rioichi reluctantly repeated what was said although still nobody could hear him. It sounded barely audible but he muttered it none the less. The raccoon hated saying this but he had no choice. The rhino still didn't appear to hear him as she keenly listened. "I still cannot hear."

Rioichi had it. He didn't yell it out like you would expect but he did say it loud enough for the rhino to actually hear through his low mumbling "...I'll comply tommorow night."

Madame Geisha grinned sharply upon hearing this. Honestly, she didn't think she'd get that out of him but she did and she enjoyed hearing the sharp agony in his voice.

A new Maiko was going to join the Geisha house and she would take pure advantage of this situation and the girl. Especially when she would get older.

She opened her mouth to make a remark but suddenly; a bucket full of water got knocked over from above and landed upon both the female white rhinoceros and not only smeared her face makeup but it also made her kimono soaking wet at the sleeves as both she and a now soaked Admiral Tsao looked upwards to see Henriette laughing her head off as she tumbled upon her back laughing as she balanced upon a rooftop.

While Madame Geisha was furious at this, everyone else hid their snickers as they walked on by through the market place.

Rioichi watched as Madame Geisha ran away, not bothering to wring her sleeves dry as she was clearly humiliated by this but he frowned as he knew that his daughter was unaware of the fate that was to befall her. Sighing sadly, he watched as Henriette bounced down from her hiding place while she was wiping away tears of laughter from both her eyes.

It was quite rare Henriette laughed like this and Rioichi would have smiled but found that his heart ached too much from the fact that he would have to tell her that they would soon be separated possibly for an indefinite amount of time. The red furred raccoon was sad as he stared down at his daughter whom was just finishing her laughing fit.

"Oh! That was utterly humorous to perform! Maybe she should think twice before opening her big, fat mouth..." Henriette snickered as she tried to stop the twittering laughter that escaped her throat. It was then that she noticed the expression on her father's face as her smile disappeared "Wait, is everything alright?" She asked, a certain innocence behind that sweet voice that always melted the Ninja master's heart.

Rioichi looked down. He didn't feel the least bit alright but he took her by the hand with a no nonsense voice as he led her back to the restraunt "Come, Henriette. There is something we must talk about."

Rioichi felt devastated that he was giving up Henriette and selling her to the Geisha home but it was kind of for her own good.

Madame Geisha was right: He couldn't support either of them.

He also really wanted to smack that smug grin off the woman's face but knew that he would most likely get arrested for that and Rioichi felt the spiritual chills of the wind as if his wife, Harumi, was telling him from wherever she was that this was a bad idea and Rioichi had to agree with her.

He just had to do this for his daughter's sake, not for his own.

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**A/N: Oh no. Rioichi is going to give up Henriette! What will happen next? Will Rioichi find another way around this or will this really be the end of Henriette and Rioichi's life together? If you read the rest of my stories then I think you know me to be a happy ending kind of person but you never know...**

**Edit: I'm having surgery tomorrow so I might not update for awhile and for that I am sorry. I didn't know about the Geisha thing either that was just an error I had made and I fixed it now. Thanks.**

**I hope that this chapter is alright and it pleases you all. Please review.**

**-Chloemcg**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rioichi nor Henriette Cooper or the Geisha. They belong to Sucker punch/Sanzaru games. I do own the plot.**

**Threats of the law.**

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Upon arriving back at the Sushi shop, its owners head dropped to the floor so his face was concealed and his eyes trailed along the ground beneath his face as he could feel his heart weigh heavily with grief.

Rioichi Cooper never thought he'd actually give in. He promised her that he would be there for her no matter what! He couldn't just sell her to that blasted Geisha house on the other side of this charming village! He could feel solemn grief leak into his mind as he didn't dare look down at his daughter, feeling that he wasn't deserving to even look at his precious little girl.

The russet ring-tail didn't bother looking up as he pressed a floppy paw to the large wooden doors decorated in crimson paint and solid gold architecture shaped like a fish; the main dishes for his infamous sushi platters. He wrapped his slender fingers around one of the round door latches and deftly pushed the huge wooden doors open as his red furred digits clenched over the round piece of metal hanging off of the prosperous opening.

Upon opening the door, Rioichi reluctantly forced himself to stare into the place he called home for at least 5 years now. Ever since Madame Geisha's threat mere minutes ago, his entire world had darkened and that included the very entrance of the Sushi shop with its damp wooden flooring and it's mildly dark setting as some sunlight stroking the floor had broke in from the door cracking open slightly by its master.

Everything seemed so dank, dark, rotten and even depressing now. Even though Henriette had yet to be taken away; the reality had already set in like vines coiling tightly around the arms of its victims and making them turn a ghastly shade of blue from lack of oxygen and blood flow.

Speaking of Henriette...

"Papa what's wrong, why are you sad?" Henriette asked as she lightly yet wearily tugged on her father's trouser leg.

Rioichi squeezed his eyes shut tightly to avoid the tears to leak from his eyes and betray him even futher than his current body language, his teeth silently gritting into fangs as his muzzle scrunched up in upset.

He could just envision those beautiful eyes of devine teal and lifeless grey staring up at him to try and discern what was wrong with those small yet fuzzy ears dropping against her seemingly frail skull to expose the distinct tomboyish tufts atop her head further.

He couldn't tell her, not yet. He had to stay strong and spend as much time with his daughter as possible before she was taken away to a horrid future he couldn't dare fathom even if he tried. Even though he knew that the last hours he spends with her will just deliver a more powerful blow when the time did arrive.

He blinked his eyes to rid himself of the big droplets running down his cheeks to leave a salty taste in his mouth once they had meandered passed his tightly pursed lips.

'_No...she must not know. She can't know yet.'_

The ninja master mustered up enough courage to stretch a false smile on his lips and turned his head to look down at Henriette as he reached down and gently petted her unkempt head fur style.

"I am just a bit tired, my young Shiroibara, no need to fret."

Henriette, however, scrunched her brows suspiciously against her eyes. She wasn't buying it in the least, her father was too sad for this to be shrugged off. The young raccoon stuck her bottom lip out thoughtfully as she walked alongside her beloved Otosan but she could feel the heavy weight of the subject weigh her down a bit. She could sense the strained sadness in her father's voice and she wouldn't tolerate this!

The half blind raccoon girl felt her tail swish behind her as she walked alongside Rioichi, her teal eyes bright with curiosity as she felt the dirt path beneath her paws. Her ears went floppy when she entered alongside the Red panda raccoon ninja with a certain frigid coldness emitting from him, as if he was very sad about something that was about to transpire. She could feel the urgency of this weigh heavily on her mind.

Henriette was admittedly scared about this but decided not to worry her head off about it since he was probably just worried about what would probably happen, but it isn't like that rhino would ever succeed and her father would willingly hand her over...would he?

She decided not to dwell on it.

"...So are we going on that heist this evening, Otosan?" She asked eagerly, her eyes lighting up happily as she recalled her father promising her on taking her with him on his very next heist.

Rioichi tried to hide his grief and not allow his inner emotions to betray him so he forced a smile "Hai." He got down on one knee and wrapped his arms around the runt little ring-tail in order to envelope her in a hug. The ninja master felt his little girl nuzzle her face against the crook in his neck, warmth emitting from her small body as she rubbed her muzzle deep within the ticklish red fur that covered him from head to toe.

The red panda raccoon felt a small purr vibrate from deep within his throat. He felt a kind bliss rise up within his heart as he held his beloved baby girl close, his paws keeping her as close as possible like she would float away if he dared release her.

He would find it devastatingly hard to let her go with that devil woman and he could already see that look of fright and betrayal in his little Henrietta's eyes paint a devestating image within his calm and collected mind.

Rubbing her crimson-clothed back, Rioichi felt his ringed-tail weave through the air loosely behind him like a noodle being suspended from the tip of a simple chopstick.

The Sushi restraunt may have been darkened by the harsh atmosphere hanging over the both of them but Rioichi refused to be daunted by such wickedness. He was going to go on that heist (his little Shiroribara by his side) and make sure Henriette would be whatever she wanted to be, no "Ifs" "Ands" or "buts" about it.

Rioichi's copper brown fur bristled up against the gentle winds picking up around the both of them as they just hugged whilst they knelt against the cobble stone flooring of the Sushi restraunt, not a single word being said between them to break off this uncomfortable silence.

Henriette smiled through closed eyes as she nuzzled one side of her face against her father's neck affectionately, her bad eye being hidden amidst the silky soft fur of her father's Racoon pelt. She spoke in a whisper softer than anything Rioichi had ever heard her in his life "I love you, Otosan..."

Rioichi was near stunned into silence. He knew Henriette loved him but always forgot to say it since she thought that saying those three words would get in the way of her pride. However, even though he wanted to say the same so badly, he just couldn't muster the words to tell her that he loved her too. She was going away because he was too weak! It was all his fault she was having to leave him and he couldn't tell her.

He felt like the worst excuse of a father in Edo Japanese history.

Finally he spoke through a cracked voice "I...I share these same feelings, my young Shiroribara."

Henriette didn't say anything but she seemed disappointed somehow. It was like she wanted to hear the exact, proper words of returning her loving affections. Her father never was one for saying such words of sentiment, however, so she could hardly fault him for it.

But still...what can he do to save his dear little one-eyed rascal?

...He had no idea.

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**A/N: Sorry this took awhile to update. I had a few problems while in hospital again but I'm better now and I'm back home, that and I sort of lost the inspiration for awhile to update so it may take another while for me to update this story. **

**I did edit those previous chapters and fixed them up to be even better. **

**Oh we see a heist being pulled by our favourite Ninja master next, will he ever find a way to rescue his beloved daughter from this horrible fate? Find out next time! **

**Don't forget to review, guys.**

**-Chloemcg**


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